Process of producing fermentable sugars.



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FBUQJVCIS E. GALLJQGEIER, 6F NEWTGN, AND EAR-RY S. MOBIQWJF BOSTON, MASSACHU- SETIS, ASSIGNG'ES T13 STANDARD ALCOHOL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CUE- POPJATION OE "MAINE.

393003333" (335 PEMBDUGING FEBMENTABLE S UGMaS.

3:10 Drawing.

' T a? Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, (1) FRANCIS E. GAL- LAGHER and (2) HARRY S. Morin, citizens of the United States, residing at (1) Newton and (2) Boston, in tae counties of (1) Middlesex and (2-) Sufiolk, and. State of (1 and 2) Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Producing Fermentable Sugars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the production of termentable sugars from ligno-cellulose by the agency of chlorin, either introduced as such or generated in presence of the cellulose to be converted, and used either alone or in conjunction with a mineral acid."

The invention may be practised by the use of free chlorin, either as a gas or dissolved in water, or by the use of a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids. Chlorin possesses a strongly inhibitive action upon yeast, and it is therefore essential'that any free chlorin should be eliminated after the digestion has been completed and before the introduction of the yeast. veniently accomplished by the use of so-. called antichlors preferably sodium thiosulfate. The digestion is preferably effected by steam under a pressure of 60 to 135 pounds per square inch, and may require from ten to sixty minutes.

Example I: Sawdust was moistened with chlorin water in such proportion that the chlorin present amounted to 0.2 per cent. by

weight of the dry sawdust. The mixture was then cooked in a closed digester for 30 minutes under 135 pounds pressure of steam, whereupon it was found to contain 26.? per cent. of total soluble materials and 18.4 per cent. of reducing sugars, based upon the dry weight of sawdust used.

Example H: A similar digestion in which 1.17 per cent. of hydrochloric acid and 1.13 per cent. of nitric acid were used yielded total solids equal to 32.1 per cent. and reduc- Specification of Letters Patent.

This is most con-5 Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

Epplication filed July 12 ."1912. Serial No' 709,570.

ing sugars equal to 26.2 per cent, all pergent-ages based on the weight-of dry saw ust.

Instead of using chlorin directly as a hydrolyzing agent, it may be used as a preparatory reagent for the hydrolysis proper. The decomposing effect of chlorin upon ligno-cellulose even in the cold is well known, but we havewipund that the nature of this effect is such that when the ligno-ce1lulose the results are materially better than are obis subsequently hydrolyzed by mineral acids,

tainable by use of'the hydrolyzing acid alone under otherwise similar conditions. 7

Example HI: Sawdust was subjected at ordinary temperatures for several hours to the action of tree chlorin. It was then digested, without previous washing, with approximately one "per cent. ofits weight of sulfuric acid in highly dilute solution, the digestion being continued for 30 minutes under 135 pounds steam pressure. The yield, expressed in percentages of the dry sawdust, was 28.1 per cent. of total soluble matters, of which 25.2 per cent. consisted of reducing sugars. A further test in which the chlorinated product was washed before digestion with sulfuric acid gave materially lower results, comparable with those afforded by sulfuric acid alone.

We claim:

1. In a process of producing termentable sugars from ligno-cellulose, the step which consists in effecting the hydrolysis through the agency of free chlorin.

2. In a process of producing fermentable sugars from ligno-cellulose, the steps which consist in chlorinating the ligno-cellulose, and subjecting the chlorinated material to the action of a hydrolyzing acid.

3. In a process of producing fermentable sugars'from ligno-cellulose, the steps which consist in chlorinating the ligno-cellulose, and subjecting the chlorinated material to the action of sulfuric acid.

Musing arms-liable no-cehulose, she "i' s Wh1sh (-unsisi in chlorinsbiwg the ligne-celhflose,

and then digestil'lg Use chlorinated material by the (meet when of steam under pressure in presence sf a jiwdrolyzing acid,

5 In a process 0:? prnducing fermentable ingars'from hgno-ceihnose, the steps winch consist in chlorinetiln" the lign'o-celhflose, E

and than. digesting the chlorinated material emme by the direct mien 0i steam nnflel' 111 Witnesses A m "w w nmnmz D. 1J1. AMY Molwsejnf 

